The spectrum of eating disorders is often veiled. Throughout human experiences, misconceptions about all things are developed daily. While anorexia and bulimia can be triggering words, there are lesser-known disorders that equally invade people's lives- like a parasite. These are often eluded and misunderstood. This leaves individuals who experience these disorders feeling invisible and dissimilar. Throughout this blog post, I will be discussing the overlooked sides of mental health and the types of eating disorders that go under the radar. Here's to everyone's journey, because no one is the same. Let's lift the veil through public awareness and understanding.
Before reading, please know that I am not an expert on any of these topics. For peer-reviewed resources, please see the reference list at the end. My goal is to raise awareness and be a voice for people.
Drunkorexia: Adults and some teens, may restrict their food intake before drinking or going out. The reason for this is to “save” up on calories. Avoiding food calories leaves room for people to have more liquid calories without feeling guilty. Reducing your caloric intake before consuming alcohol can have many health consequences, such as nutrient deficiency and a quickened pace of impaired judgment.
Night Eating Syndrome (NES): For someone with NES, most of the calories throughout the day are consumed at night. When they wake up, they often have no hunger or try to delay eating for later. They could feel guilt or shame about what was eaten the night before. Sometimes people can wake up from sleep to eat. This can disturb people's eating patterns and result in daytime fatigue. A catalyst for nigh-eating could be emotional distress or outside life factors.
Orthorexia Nervosa: People who have orthorexia often fixate on eating “pure” foods. They view foods that are not organic as "improper." This can leave shopping at the grocery store as an unfavorable option. Orthorexia can cause people to become obsessed with how their food is prepared, the quality of the food, and the calories in it. Intensely looking at labels restricts their diet more and more over time. This will lead to a narrow range of foods and cause nutrient deficiencies. Disorders such as this make people believe they are improving their health when they can become malnourished, have low electrolytes, and even organ failure.
PICA: consumption of non-food items. These substances that are consumed can vary widely, including hair, clay, paint, dirt, chalk, metal objects, and more. PICA can cause very serious health risks, such as gastrointestinal blockages, infections, poisoning, and dental damage.
Rumination Syndrome: Rumination syndrome is when food is chewed and swallowed, then regurgitated, and then chewed and swallowed again. This is unlike vomiting because there can be no forceful expulsion. Instead, it is seen as more effortless. Although it can still be voluntary or involuntary, The cause of rumination syndrome is not well understood. People believe it could be a dysfunction of digestion functions or anxiety-induced.
Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder (ARFID): ARFID can be motivated by a lack of eating, sensory sensitivity, or fear of vomiting or choking. This disorder can often just be seen as picky eating, but it is much more than that. Individuals diagnosed with ARFID are limited in the variety of food they can eat. Their diet can be so selective that it leads to medical problems due to not having enough nourishment. Individuals who have this disorder may have an aversion to certain food groups and have difficulty eating at restaurants because of all the smells. Stress and anxiety can pop up at mealtimes, making eating a big challenge.
Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED): OSFED stands for Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder. People who get diagnosed with this do not meet the criteria for anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating disorders but still have some form of disordered eating, such as Night Eating Syndrome. OSFED serves as a category to capture the diverse range of eating disorder presentations that don't fit neatly into other classifications. Recognizing OSFED is crucial for providing appropriate treatment and support to individuals struggling with disordered eating behaviors.
Amid the shadows, there is hope that more research and awareness will be done for these eating disorders. There needs to be a crucial step towards empathy, understanding, and support for these individuals. Fostering open conversations and warm spaces can help people learn more. Let's keep these conversations going so that education and people who battle these disorders can feel heard, valued, supported, and understood.
The most effective way to support individuals with uncommon eating disorders is through listening, maintaining, and providing unconditional love. Reassure them consistently that recovery is possible and that they are not alone in their journey. Provide guidance towards seeking professional help and be by their side throughout their recovery process. I want to emphasize again that I'm not a professional, nor do I possess formal research credentials. The primary aim of my blog post is to spark conversation and raise awareness, encouraging further exploration and learning within our communities.
References
Psychiatry Online | DSM Library
American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787
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